Charleston

September 16, 2008

My husband and I just got back from Charleston, SC. We typically take a little trip every year around our anniversary and this year we chose Charleston. I’ve always heard what a beautiful city it is so I’ve always wanted to see it for myself. I had also been told that if I loved Savannah, then I would love Charleston. And it is so true! It has that same historic feeling and down home charm. I do think it has a more “small town in a big city” feeling than Savannah though.

One of my favorite things about visiting a new city is checking out the food. There were so many places I wanted to try while we were there, but we just didn’t have time for all of them. I think the places we did go were awesome though. Charleston is just full of good food! Other than the places we ate, some others I wanted to try were Hank’s Seafood, Jestine’s Kitchen, and Poogan’s Porch. Maybe someday we can go back and I’ll get to visit those places. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Saturday, we checked out the farmers market. So much to see there from fresh produce, bread, local honey, arts and crafts, and flowers. A nice way to spend a Saturday morning.

My husband’s favorite place to stop, Charleston’s Candy Kitchen. Too many sweets to name but on the top of our list, the chocolate pralines. You can even taste a freshly made praline sample when you walk in the door. So good!

I had to be careful not to drool on the glass. : P’

Mmm gelato. This is what I got at the candy store. It was a very hot and humid day in Charleston and I needed a cool treat.

It’s hard to decide what restaurants to go to in a new city so recommendations are always helpful. This one came from the concierge at our hotel. We were both SO glad we went here. The atmosphere was casual but elegant and the food, amazing.

Our crab dip in a little fondue pot at Coast. Very yummy. I got the crab cakes and my husband got the trio of grilled fish, steak, and bacon and jalapeno wrapped shrimp. We finished off our dinner with the white chocolate banana bread pudding.

I didn’t get a picture of this restaurant, but we went to Bocci’s on Sunday night for dinner. It’s a quaint little Italian restaurant on Church Street. I had had my fill of seafood so this was a nice change. It came highly recommended and it was really good!

I had been told I HAD to go to Cupcake while I was in Charleston. I had seen it before on a Food Network show and thought it would be a cute place to visit. We were there standing at the door at 10 am when they opened. We got two cupcakes to go, one chocolate and one red velvet. Oh my goodness what a treat! I found the perfect cupcakes and perhaps my dream job…working in a cupcake store. Wouldn’t that be the best job ever?

LOOK at all those cupcakes!

And don’t forget the pooches! I had seen this pet bakery on the Travel Channel and just had to go by before we left. Unfortunately we didn’t get to go in. They weren’t open yet. Still, what a cute idea to have a bakery for our four legged friends. I know my pups would love it!

We did other things in Charleston besides eat, although you can’t tell that from this post. We took a walking tour and learned some great history about the city. We got to see some beautiful homes and buildings and charming little alleyways and cobblestone streets. We also visited Waterfront Park and walked along the Battery. Charleston also has a great market and shopping which I fully took advantage of.

Some tips I learned from my trip.

1. Wear comfortable shoes if you plan on walking around the city.

The streets and sidewalks are very uneven. I learned this the hard way and hurt my ankle. : (

2. DO take a guided tour if it’s your first time in the city.

I would have missed so much had we not done this. There were so many buildings we had driven by that I would not have known what they were or the history behind them without our tour guide.

It is more expensive but my husband and I both agree it’s totally worth it. It’s the same in Savannah. You pay more but you are within walking distance of most everything and don’t have to worry about finding and paying for parking.

4. Ask for recommendations on where to eat.

If you know someone from the area, ask them where they eat. If you don’t know anyone there, ask the staff at your hotel or in the local shops. You’re bound to get some great suggestions from the locals.

5. Have a plan and get a map.

There is so much to see and do in Charleston you need to have an idea of what you want to do and where certain things are located so you don’t run around circles trying to get from place to place.

And just remember, it is HOT in Charleston even in September. I knew this because I’m from the south, but I didn’t realize the humidity would be so bad. But whenever you go, you won’t be sorry you did! Charleston is a great city both for the food and the history.